The rest of the week seemed to all meld together as he worked to clean up the mess that had once been his father’s workshop and the hidden shelter opening below, but he had it at least cleared by the time Saturday rolled around. He messaged Adriana to make sure they were still on for dinner and went to shower off the grime he’d accumulated. He was glad to find she was still on board when he checked his phone afterward. It was a much-needed break from the week he had been having, and he found that he was looking forward to seeing her.
In fact, he hadn’t realized just how much he was looking forward to it until he was driving into the city to meet her. He’d like to do things the old-fashioned way and pick her up at her place, but she’d suggested they meet at the location and he’d acquiesced. He understood that dating in this age and time involved being careful for women. It would change once she felt comfortable with him, and if it didn’t, he’d know that there was little reason to continue seeing her.
He was surprised to find himself experiencing a hint of sadness about that possibility. Somehow, this woman already seemed to have a hold over him he couldn’t explain. Perhaps he should proceed with caution, but he couldn’t say he would.CHAPTER NINEAdriana
Adriana smiled as Dane walked in the front door. He looked amazing in a simple blue t-shirt and jeans with sneakers. It was a casual place, not the usual date restaurant most men would choose. Some women would deem it cheap and think it was an effort to watch the wallet, but she found it comfortable and cozy. She’d been here before. The food was good, and you got a full plate and pitchers of beer.
“You sure this place is okay?” he asked, obviously concerned about it as well, but why had he suggested it then? Men were a mystery sometimes.
“No. This place is fantastic. I’ve been really busy all week and haven’t had much of a chance to even eat. I wore my fat pants.”
Dane laughed, even as she blushed, realizing how awful that must have sounded to a date.
“Good to know. I like it when a woman isn’t afraid to eat.”
The truth was that she had been eating all week, but it had all been in those fancy restaurants she was just contemplating, with tiny portions and desserts that looked like bite-size treats. She’d gone out on three more dates with men from Alpha Meets Omega, all busts. One was married. He’d apparently intended to hide it but foolishly forgot to take off his wedding band. So, he’d claimed he was a widow and just still wore it. Her research skills proved otherwise.
The other two were equally awful. One talked too much, and the other hardly talked at all. She’d been so bored of the last one that she actually considered going to the bathroom and not coming back like you see in movies. Instead, she’d soldiered on and made notes when she got home for her article. The bad experiences had only made her more excited to get a message from Dane. She’d honestly thought she’d annoyed him with her commentary on the displaced reptiles.
Of course, she’d also attempted to do a little research on him too. There was nothing to be found on Mr. Dane “DJ” Johnson, which led her to believe he’d given her a fake name. She’d wanted to look into things a bit further but had gotten sidetracked by the drama of a friend and not gotten back to it. It did, however, lend to her decision to continue to meet him rather than giving him her address. For all she knew, he was a serial killer—a very handsome, articulate, alluring one, but that was even more dangerous.
“So, what have you been up to this week?” she asked as they dove into the appetizers they ordered to share, all stick-to-your-ribs foods like wings, short ribs, fries, and battered mushrooms.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” he laughed.
“Try me.”
“Well, my workshop burned to the ground at home, so I’ve been trying to clean up the mess.”
“Oh, God! I’m sorry. How did that happen?”
“Not sure. The investigator said it looked like maybe lightning hit it, maybe sparked some of the chemicals in there.”
“Chemicals?”
“Yeah, you know, stuff like acetone, mineral spirits . . . stuff like that.”
“Why would you have all that stuff?”
“I do a lot of woodwork in my spare time. Well, I used to, but I haven’t had much time for a while. So, it’s all sat out there, and I guess that wasn’t such a good idea.”
“That’s crazy. When did it happen?”
“Actually, the night after we went out. Maybe you’re bad luck,” he joked.